The flood of unanswered messages in LinkedIn inboxes has become the silent soundtrack of the digital age, as sales professionals, recruiters and partnership hopefuls aim for connection but often land in virtual oblivion. The reason, experts say, might not be what—or rather, who—they’re targeting: it’s typically the wrong people, or those who simply aren’t listening.
In a recent episode of “Sales Navigator 101” from LinkedIn for Sales, Morgan J. Ingram—CEO of AMP Creative and a widely followed voice in modern sales—delved into the nuanced choreography required to spark dialogue with top executives on LinkedIn. His playbook, built on data and practical insights, focuses on a single premise: engagement is everything.
The Signal in the Noise: Posting Is the Tell
Most outreach, Ingram argues, is wasted on the “disengaged”—executives who haven’t touched LinkedIn in weeks or even months. “The data shows executives who posted in the last 30 days are three times more likely to respond to your LinkedIn outreach,” Ingram explains in the episode.
LinkedIn’s Sales Navigator, a premium tool used by sales teams globally, has quietly introduced a powerful filter: users can pinpoint executives who have posted or reposted within the past 30 days. This single criterion, Ingram suggests, can triple one’s response rates simply by shifting attention to those actively contributing to conversations.
From Passive Observing to Proactive Engagement
The workflow is methodical but frugal with time.
First, use LinkedIn’s Sales Navigator to apply the “posted on LinkedIn in the last 30 days” filter alongside relevant job titles, locations and seniority levels. This narrows the universe to those likely to see—and answer—your note.
Next, abandon the generic “great post” comment. Ingram recommends a concise, value-driven formula: insight + question. The response to a post, for example, might be, “Interesting approach to cold calling; we’ve seen similar challenges in our industry around that. What prompted your team to start focusing on this type of intro?” The aim: spark a real conversation, rather than merely check the engagement box.
Connecting the Dots (and the DMs)
From there, patience becomes a virtue. Wait 24 to 48 hours, Ingram says, before sending a connection request—this window lets the executive both register your name from the public conversation and associate it with thoughtful commentary.
Once connected, the discussion can graduate to a private message, referencing the thread and continuing the discourse. “When you implement this strategy consistently, your connection requests will increase exponentially and decision makers will recognize your name before you reach out and you build valuable relationships,” Ingram notes.
Why the Framework Resonates
For sales teams facing increasing pressure to personalize outreach while scaling their prospecting, engagement frameworks like Ingram’s have special appeal. LinkedIn itself reports that members are sharing nearly 50% more content year-over-year, according to company data, suggesting that catching executives “in the act” of posting is both possible and more likely with each passing month.
The approach hinges on a timeless sales principle: people respond to those who already feel a bit familiar. By layering public dialogue with private outreach, sales professionals aim to bridge the divide between digital stranger and valued connection.
The Face of the Modern Sales Funnel
As the boundaries between sales, networking, and personal branding blur, techniques like these are becoming the foundation of the modern sales funnel. Instead of cold calls to faceless names, outreach today begins with public, authentic conversation. The result, as tens of thousands of viewers of LinkedIn’s “Sales Navigator 101” show are learning, is outreach that’s not only seen—but actually gets a reply.
